Pacific Marines Stories

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rudy Martinez, a powerliner from Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, watches over the refueling process of an F-18 Hornet after flight operations at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Feb. 11, during Exercise Cobra Gold 2011. Cobra Gold is an regularly scheduled annual multinational training exercise. It is the latest in the continuing series of U.S. - Thai military exercises designed to ensure regional peace and stability. - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rudy Martinez, a powerliner from Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, watches over the refueling process of an F-18 Hornet after flight operations at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Feb. 11, during Exercise Cobra Gold 2011. Cobra Gold is an regularly scheduled annual multinational training exercise. It is the latest in the continuing series of U.S. - Thai military exercises designed to ensure regional peace and stability.

Multinational service members conduct a Search and Rescue demonstration during the opening ceremony for ASEAN Exercise 16-3 at 14th Military Circle Airfield, Chonburi Province, Thailand Sept. 5, 2016. AEX 16-3 is a small-scale humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise consisting of 18 nations and co-hosted by Thailand, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Russian Federation. It is the third iteration of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting plus multinational exercise program in 2016. - Multinational service members conduct a Search and Rescue demonstration during the opening ceremony for ASEAN Exercise 16-3 at 14th Military Circle Airfield, Chonburi Province, Thailand Sept. 5, 2016. AEX 16-3 is a small-scale humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise consisting of 18 nations and co-hosted by Thailand, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Russian Federation. It is the third iteration of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting plus multinational exercise program in 2016.

HAWAII (August 29, 2016) -- U.S. Marine Capt. Heather Gumpert, an administration officer with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Units renders honors to the USS Arizona memorial fromaboard the USS Boxer, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman Pier, August 29, 2016. The 13th MEU, embarked on the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alvin Pujols/RELEASED) - HAWAII (August 29, 2016) -- U.S. Marine Capt. Heather Gumpert, an administration officer with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Units renders honors to the USS Arizona memorial fromaboard the USS Boxer, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman Pier, August 29, 2016. The 13th MEU, embarked on the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alvin Pujols/RELEASED)

Minister Kahu Kelekona Bishaw performs a traditional Hawaiian blessing during the Marine Memorial Rededication Ceremony at the USS ARIZONA Education Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, Aug. 19, 2016. Bishaw sprinkled fresh Hawaiian water over the memorial, representing the connection between Hawaii and the fallen Marines. - Minister Kahu Kelekona Bishaw performs a traditional Hawaiian blessing during the Marine Memorial Rededication Ceremony at the USS ARIZONA Education Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, Aug. 19, 2016. Bishaw sprinkled fresh Hawaiian water over the memorial, representing the connection between Hawaii and the fallen Marines.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Christian Marin, a heavy equipment mechanic with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, radios-in a simulated casualty during Exercise Eagle Wrath 2016 at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji,Japan, July 28, 2016. During the culminating event, Marines established a mock air base including a landing zone and refueling point, constructed defensive and machine-gun positions, and conducted convoys and patrols over the course of four days. MWSS-171 conducts this exercise once a year in order to train all the Marines within the squadron, enhance their technical skills, field experience and military occupational specialty capability. - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Christian Marin, a heavy equipment mechanic with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, radios-in a simulated casualty during Exercise Eagle Wrath 2016 at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji,Japan, July 28, 2016. During the culminating event, Marines established a mock air base including a landing zone and refueling point, constructed defensive and machine-gun positions, and conducted convoys and patrols over the course of four days. MWSS-171 conducts this exercise once a year in order to train all the Marines within the squadron, enhance their technical skills, field experience and military occupational specialty capability.

A fireball blossoms as a 50mm round impacts a 155mm artillery round, July 28, 2016, at Marine Corps Base, Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan. The artillery rounds served as exploding targets for explosive ordnance disposal technicians and reconnaissance Marines who participated in the drill. The training ensured EOD technicians were proficient in the safe long-distance detonation of explosives, using the SASR-M107 sniper rifle. The EOD technicians are with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installations Pacific-Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Japan and Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. The reconnaissance Marines are with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - A fireball blossoms as a 50mm round impacts a 155mm artillery round, July 28, 2016, at Marine Corps Base, Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan. The artillery rounds served as exploding targets for explosive ordnance disposal technicians and reconnaissance Marines who participated in the drill. The training ensured EOD technicians were proficient in the safe long-distance detonation of explosives, using the SASR-M107 sniper rifle. The EOD technicians are with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installations Pacific-Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Japan and Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. The reconnaissance Marines are with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

U.S. Marines with Company E, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, assault a beach during Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. - U.S. Marines with Company E, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, assault a beach during Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.